Public forum: Rose sale more than a fund-raiser

Friday

Jun 16, 2006 at 1:00 AM

Sharon Stitzlein

I just returned from Lions deputy district governors training in Columbus over the weekend. One of the assigned tasks was to present a prepared speech. Now, not all of us were aware we were to present a prepared speech. I was. I was tipped off.In fairness to those who were not aware they were to have a prepared speech, the suggestion was made to us to speak about the time when we became Lions; not when we joined a Lions club, but the time we knew we were Lions.If you had been at the seminar on effective fund-raising at our convention in March and had heard my speech, you would have been familiar with my topic at the DDG training. However, I did alter it a bit to include the when-I-knew-I-was-a-Lion idea.I talked about the planning, execution and results of the Ashland Noon Lions rose sale and added when I saw all the good that was done with the money we raised and all the people we served, that was when I knew I was a Lion.In the day I have had to reflect on the weekend, I have come to realize I was only partially correct in that statement.One of my rose customers is a high school classmate. She buys roses every year for her mother, Velma.Velma had been involved in some sort of accident and has been confined to a wheelchair the whole time her daughter has been a rose customer. The first four or five years, that meant I delivered the roses to Velma at her home. The past four years, I have been delivering them to her in the Good Shepherd Home. Delivery also means I stay and visit.I found the visits became longer over the years. Last year, I stayed two hours. She told me about the death of her husband, Jack. She told me of her concern of her second husband, Bob, who she married since entering Good Shepherd. They had been elected queen and king. She told me about her employment at Ohio Brass in Mansfield and about her modeling experience for Reeds Department Store. She was a Cub Scout den mother and did not even have a son, and told me how proud she was of the men those boys had become.Shortly after the District 13-B convention in March, Velma died. I will miss our visit. I will miss Velma. I will be buying a dozen roses and donating them to Good Shepherd in her name every year.You see, it is not just a fund-raiser. It is a beautiful memory and a gift to me as well. I always will remember Velma. I realized the pleasure is in the service and that is when I knew I was a Lion. That is what Lions do. We serve.Lions deputy district governorStanley E. Kopp Sr.AshlandUrges others to complain about gay marriageI am complaining about the article in the Times-Gazette, Gay Marriage Ban Fails in Senate. Marriage between a man and woman is in the Constitution and has no business going to the Supreme Court. Yes, gays should have freedom but they should not have freedom to marry in the same sex, and they should not have the freedom to adopt a child. God is for marriage between a man and a woman. The mutual relationship of husband and wife, wedlock, is the social institution whereby men and women are joined in a special kind of social and legal dependence for the purpose of founding and maintaining a family. Family is the central unit in society. I agree Congress is going to catch up to the wisdom of the American people, or the American people will change Congress for the better. If enough people complain against gay marriage and outvote the others in favor of gay marriage, then we, the people can win. Were still One Nation Under God.Don L. KinerPerrysville